cloning fruit trees (mulberry specifically) from cuttings

[Letoatreides35081]

Hi. I'm trying to clone a dwarf mulberry from either stem, softwood or hardwood cuttings, and I'm not having much luck. All the cuttings I've tried to root just shrivel up and die. I'm pretty sure I'm either underwatering or overwatering them. Can anyone give me some tips on how often to water a stem cutting to get it to take root? I've also seen suggestions to use honey as a root toner. Does that work, or should I buy some kind of commercial rooting powder instead?

 

[Marck]

The species of Mulberry (Morus) in question is not specified, but most commonly grown dwarf mulberry cultivars are forms of White Mulberry (Morus alba). Some are fruiting cultivars and others are fruitless, such as the Chaparral Weeping Mulberry (Morus alba 'Chaparral').

Rooting stems of Morus alba is best done with soft wood cuttings, in late Spring. Standard rooting protocols apply. Misting, bottom heat, and use of synthetic rooting hormone may all be used to improve the success rate.

Honey is recommended by some propagators mostly for it's antiseptic properties. However it does not contain auxins (rooting hormones). Use a commercial rooting hormone, some of which also contain fungicidal agents.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Standard rooting protocols apply

Take your cut just below a bud, that swelling point is the easiest place for roots to develop. Mixing a bit of sharp sand into your potting compost helps encourage roots. If you use a powder hormone rooting agent dip the cutting in water first so you get good adhesion, some people damage the bark slightly. Water from below, you don't want to wash the hormone out.
When I am doing something that I don't know about I try a number of approaches eg, rooting hormone, non hormonal rooting powder, no powder; Cuttings straight from the plant, cuttings that have stood for an hour or two, cuttings that have stood in water; different mixes of potting compost. And so forth. Different plants like different things.
I am not familiar with mulberry, but seeing the way the full size one grows with a spread base I would be looking to take a piece off the outside edge with a sliver of root, I have had good success doing this with bay, which is supposed to be difficult.

 

[Logan]